sunnyhill inc.: To provide tailored residential, recreational and educational opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities, empowering them to become productive citizens and achieve their individual dreams.
Q| How long have you been a volunteer?
A| About 15 years.
Q| What made you interested in this particular cause?
A| A good friend of mine who is now the president of Sunnyhill asked me to help for about six months—and that was a long time ago! When you work with children and adults with disabilities, their smiles bring you close to them and their cause. They can’t stand up for the help and assistance they need, so they need people like myself to do that for them. It used to be that individuals with disabilities were put in a classroom at the end of the hall or they just lived at their parents’ house, and no one knew about them. But they should have an ample lifestyle and the ability to live and work in their communities, and there have to be people dedicated to providing that for them. When we’re gone, we should leave some type of legacy, and I’m making this mine.
Q| What kind of volunteer work are you involved with?
A| I’m in my second term as board chair and am a strong believer that if you’re going to be on a board, roll up your sleeves and commit. I’ve been involved in fundraising efforts since the beginning. In my day to day career as an Edward Jones adviser, I constantly talk finances with people, so I’m not shy talking about money. I started out attending Sunnyhill’s events and got to know the guests and supporters. And then I began working closely in Jefferson City with state representatives and state senators from this area on items we need, like funding for day programs. Through my connections, I was able to get a handicap-accessible van donated so clients can go out around town or on weekend trips. Now that I’m really involved, I watch where the fundraising dollars came from, how the staff is being taken care of—and making sure they are! I often say, some people have a job, some have a career and some have a calling. People in social services have a calling; to deal with the temperament of someone who is autistic or severely disabled, you have to have patience. Especially when funding was down a few years ago because of the economy, as board members, we worked with staff on the budget so we didn’t have to cut services. If we had lost funding, some of these clients would never be able to leave their home or receive basic services like dental work.
Q| If you could do anything for the organization, what would it be?
A| Money is always a great benefactor for social service organizations, but ultimately, I would like to see a comprehensive organization that offers every facet of assistance for those with disabilities, from cradle to grave, so they don’t have to bounce from one agency and caretaker to another to get help. I would like to see a continuity of care, and of course, money can help that. We want to help these individuals live life at the best and highest level they can, challenge them to do better and make sure they are taken care of at the end of life.
In the Words of Sunnyhill: “Sean’s dedication to Sunnyhill extends far beyond his work as our current board president and into the community where he actively pursues new talent and contacts to join the Sunnyhill team. He has secured new business interests, donations and marketing assistance for our organization, along with securing the seed money for our new multipurpose building. His compassion for what we do is genuine, evident in his desire to help Sunnyhill get to the next level for those we serve.”
corporate hero
Sunnyhill Inc. applauds The Orlando Family Foundation for Charities for its involvement.
meet the Sunnyhill board
Seated: Wayne Rector, Ferguson Financial Group; Jennifer Seiler, Cushman and Wakefield; Diane Heck; Mary Ann Rodenberg; Sean King, Edward Jones. Standing: Donny Mitchell, Sunnyhill; Lisa Miller; Russ Korte; Wes Burns, US Bank; Jill Kesler, ADP; Vicky James, Sunnyhill president/CEO; B.J. Pupillo, The Pupillo Law Firm; Derrick Good, Thurman Law Firm. Not pictured: Peter Pfeifer, Hilliker Corporation; Brett Perlberg; Michael Arnhart, High Ridge Fire Protection District; Richard Haffner, DDS
Photo: Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton
